Cleaning Equipment & Sanitizing

Cleaning and sanitizing is a necessity when homebrewing. Any equipment that touches your beer should always be cleaned and sanitized. Cleaning your equipment means that it should be free of soap and oil residue, though common dishsoap can be used for cleaning, there are better alternatives that are specifically made for home brewing which are free from chlorine, phosphates and other chemicals that could potentially affect the quality and appearance of your beer. Sanitizing your equipment is a necessity. Any equipment that comes in contact with your beer after it has been boiled should always be sanitized, this reduces and eliminates the amount of bacteria present in your brewing system which will allow the yeast to flourish during fermentation.